Valvoline VR1 20W50 vs Castrol GTX 20W50

[aquariuscsm]

Which of these two oils would BOTIG`ers consider better? Especially if you like to drive fast and hard. Reason I ask,is I was at the Nissan dealer yesterday and the service manager there,who drives a 300ZX twin turbo (which is nearing the 400k mark) has used GTX 20W50 the life of the car. Original turbos and no engine work has ever been done. He said he drives it very had,the way it was meant to be driven,80 miles a day back and fourth to work.

I`m currently using the VR1 20W50 oil and out of all the oils I`ve used,it gives my car the smoothest and quietest engine response. Rear tires break loose on every 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd shift if I give it the least bit of throttle. I`ve never used GTX in this car and wondered how it would fare against the VR1. I used M1 15W50 for a long time and my car runs much smoother and quieter with the VR1. Engine seemed sort`ve "loud and metallic (best way I can describe it)" on hard throttle runs with the M1 compared to the VR1.

Anyway,I was just curious what all of you thought about the GTX 20W50?

 

[bobfather99]

If youre running the VR1 oil and you like it, why switch??

Just wondering...

Id just keep doing what youre doing....

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: bobfather99
If youre running the VR1 oil and you like it, why switch??

Just wondering...

Id just keep doing what youre doing....


I probably won`t. Just a little curious.

 

[mechtech2]

For some reason, M1 in various viscosities has caused noticeable increased engine noise, for a number of users.
No one has figured it out yet- it's not a bad oil.

A hard driven turbocharged car at 400,000 miles is not the norm..
But regularly getting an engine real hot would increase the viability of a thick oil, so that makes sense.

 

[JDD]

+1 on bobfather.
If your engine likes a certain brand/viscosity of oil, stick with it. Anything else is an unknown. I have been a die hard M1 guy, but have found 2 of my vehicles prefer something else (Valv synpower and syn maxlife), and that is just my opinion of how the engine sounds to me and the ol' butt dyno.

 

[KA426]

Any cat. converter issues running the VR-1 or did you remove the converter?

 

[KA426]

http://www.bradpennracing.com/
If you like VR-1 then you'll love Penn Grade 1.

 

[ryan2022]

VR-1 has a zinc additive if I'm not mistaken. I'd continue to use that over the GTX. Not that the GTX is bad, but the additives in the Valvoline look really good.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: KA426
Any cat. converter issues running the VR-1 or did you remove the converter?


Nope,everything`s still there. Car`s completely stock.

 

[Audi Junkie]

You're in TX, so 20w-50 is do-able. Why not look at Havoline 20w-50? It's a stout oil with elevated Zink. As good as the others...even better and cheaper.

 

[double vanos]

I am beginning to think that in today's PCMO's it's as much about the add pack as it is about the base oil.

Just being a synthetic oil no longer guarantees a wear and varnish free engine.

For some reason, nearly all of Castrol GTX UOA's have excellent wear #s.They have got to be doing something right.

I'll even go so far as to say, excluding GC, that Castrol's GTX line of oils may be their best product offering ( better than Syntec and their blends).

My .02. Cheers!

 

[TallPaul]

Also consider instead of the 20w50, the VR1 comes in straight weights (30, 40, 50, and 60). I would guess straight 40 would suffice. But if you really want a killer oil for a hard driven small engine with turbo, I can't think of a better oil than ester based oil like Redline. Redline will take all that you can dish out and then some and has gobs of zddp.